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Terms & Conditions

You have decided to trust Heath and Reach Veterinary Surgery with the care of your pet. Thank you. We ask that you read this carefully to ensure we can do our best for you. By registering with the surgery you hereby agree to these terms and conditions.

By bringing your animal to Heath and Reach Veterinary Surgery, you consent to the examination and treatment of your animal by our veterinary team. Before any significant procedure, our vets will explain the treatment options available, the likely costs, and any material risks so that you can make an informed decision.

If we are unable to contact you during your animal’s treatment and a clinical decision is needed urgently to protect your animal’s welfare, you authorise us to carry out any treatment that our veterinary team considers necessary. We will make every reasonable effort to contact you beforehand using the details you have provided.

You must be the owner of the animal or have the owner’s authority to authorise treatment and accept financial responsibility.

Fees

All fees are payable at the time of consultation or, when in-patient treatment or surgery is involved, all fees are payable in full prior to the surgery or at the time of admission based on an estimate. Surgery will not be started until payment has been received.

Any additional post-operative care, tests, medication and attention will be charged in addition to this estimate and will require payment at the time of collection.

Fee levels are determined by the time spent on case and according to drugs, materials and consumables used. A detailed fee note is available on request. Certain procedures may require an additional deposit to be paid before treatment can commence.

All fees are subject to VAT at the current rate.

Ways to Pay

We accept the following payment methods:

  • Cash
  • Credit/Debit Card
  • BACS — Contact us for details

When paying by BACS, please use your client number (ask reception) as the payment reference.

Estimates

We are happy to provide estimates for any treatment that has been advised for your pet. Please note a full assessment of the extent and nature of the problem may not be possible until the procedure is underway. You should therefore view your estimate as an approximate cost. The final figure may be higher. We will do our best to keep you informed of additional costs. However, our priority is the care of your pet.

Missed and Cancelled Appointments

We ask that you give us at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Missed appointments and late cancellations prevent other animals from being seen. We reserve the right to charge a fee for appointments that are missed or cancelled without adequate notice. Repeated failure to attend booked appointments may result in a requirement to pay in advance for future bookings.

Credit Accounts

Organisations may, in specific circumstances (e.g. registered charities), apply for a credit account. We expect these to be settled within 28 days of invoicing.

Settlement Terms

If you fail to pay at the agreed time you will be expected to complete a “Failure to Pay Agreement”. Refusal to sign this document means you are in breach of our terms and conditions. If your account is not settled within 10 days of the due date, a reminder will be sent with an additional accounting fee in respect of administration costs incurred. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred. After due notice to you “the client”, overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt: production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, home visits, etc. Any card payment not honoured will result in the account being restored to the original sum with further charges added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs.

Pet Health Insurance

Heath and Reach Vets supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Ask reception for details. Please note it is your responsibility to settle the bill and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company. We will only process direct claims where the costs exceed a threshold determined by the practice. When a direct claim is agreed all claims are subject to an administration fee. Ask reception for details.

Supply of Medicines

If you wish, instead of us supplying drugs ourselves, we can issue you with a prescription for drugs to be dispensed by a third party. A fee will be charged for each prescription provided. RCVS regulations require the practice to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescriptions according to their latest guidelines. Further details can be found on our website. The standard charge for re-examination applies.

Medicine Returns

The practice does not accept the return of medicines for credit, refund or swap. There may be a charge for disposal of returned medicines.

Ownership of Records

Please see our privacy policy for more information.

Euthanasia and Aftercare

If the difficult decision is made to euthanase your pet, our vets will discuss this with you sensitively and ensure you understand the process. Your written or verbal consent will be obtained before proceeding.

Following euthanasia or if your pet passes away in our care, you will be asked about your wishes for aftercare. Options include individual cremation with ashes returned to you, communal cremation, or collection for home burial. Fees apply for cremation services and will be discussed with you at the time. If we are unable to contact you within a reasonable period, we reserve the right to arrange communal cremation.

Out of Hours Service

Our out of hours emergency service is provided by Vets Now, located at Milton Keynes Veterinary Hospital, Walnut Tree. You can contact them on 01908 509500.

Please be aware that Vets Now is a separate business and operates under its own terms, conditions and fee structure. Any complaints about out of hours care should be directed to Vets Now in the first instance.

Limitation of Liability

We will carry out all treatment with reasonable care and skill in accordance with current veterinary practice. Our liability to you in respect of any claim arising from the treatment of your animal shall be limited to the fees paid for the treatment in question, except in cases of negligence causing death or personal injury, or where liability cannot be excluded by law.

We shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss arising from the treatment of your animal, including but not limited to loss of earnings, loss of enjoyment or the cost of alternative arrangements.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Compliments, Comments or Complaints

We welcome your feedback. For compliments, comments or complaints please contact the Practice Manager by email at reception@heathandreachvets.co.uk or by letter to Heath and Reach Veterinary Surgery, Brickhill Road, Heath and Reach, Beds, LU7 0BA.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to provide a full response within 20 working days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may refer your complaint to the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), a free and independent mediation service:

If mediation does not resolve your concerns, you have the right to raise a complaint with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS):

Variations in Terms of Trading

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the practice principals. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with, the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.

Amendment of Terms

We may, at any time, revise these terms. A copy of our current terms will be available on our website or, on request, from reception.

Governing Law

These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Last updated February 2026